Card positioning means



May 15,A 1945. J. T. FERRY CARD POSITIONING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1944 A v INVENTOR l JOHN T. FERRY- v BV y L. ML;

ATTOR N EY May 15; 1 945. l .1. T. FERRY 2,376,241 7 K GARD PosIfrIoNING MEANS n Filed March s, 1944 4 sheets-smet 2 mvamoa JOHN T. FERRY BY www ATTORNEY May 15; 1945- r J. T. `FERRY 2,376,241

CARD POSITIONING MEANS l i 26 INVENTOR l I JoHNm-ERRY l 24| |4 l 'Q1 BY du 33 29 28 ATToR N EY J. T. FERRY cARD'PosITIoNING MEANS -Maly 15, 1945.

Filed March s, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvENToR `JOHN T. FERRY Another object is to y into the die chamber Patented May 1s, 1945 2,376,241 CARD POSITIONING MEANS John T. Ferry, ington Band of Delaware Brooklyn, N. Inc., Bulalo, N.

Y., assignor to Rem- Y., a corporation Application March 3, 1944, Serial No. 524,935

21 Claims.

This invention relates to card positioning means, and in particular to a mechanism as applied to punches used in perforating cards employed in the operation of record controlled business machines.

Cards, as employed in the well known Powers tabulating machine, for instance, may be passed through a punching mechanism once to be initially perforated, or more than once to have added data punched therein from time to time. The precision of the sensing mechanism of the Powers machine referred to requires the perforations of the cards to be accurately aligned and without variation,.so that the business machine controlled by the perforated` cards will operate without interruption due to misaligned holes in cards successively fed thereto.

An .object of the invention, therefore, is to provide means, in connection with a card punching mechanism, for positioning each card as it is fed into the die chamber, so that the holes punched thereinwill be properly aligned relativelyto the holes punched in preceding and succeeding cards.

synchronize the operation means with the operating that, when a card is fed Y of the punch, the feeding means is rendered ineffective, and the card is automatically adjusted to a. position centrally of the die chamber by side and end edge engaging ngers influenced by the movement of the die. Changes in atmospheric conditions bring about space variations between the lines of perforations of the'card and by centralizing the card in of the card positioning .cycle of the punch so the die chamber, rather than by locating it with respect to one end or one side stop means alone, it has been found that these variations are diminished to the point of being negligible.

When the cards have beenpunched they are 4usually repunched for verication, and to this endthe invention includes a the card positioning means, so that off center perforation of the properly punched holes, in a directioncolumn-wise of the card, will produce an elongated hole.

Another object is positioning the card will be eective to relocate the cardwith respect to the center of the die or card chamberso that, upon second or verification punching, the holes initially perforated are properly elongated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide card positioning means, the limits of whose to provide a mechanism for Y operations may be closely controlled, so that verify setting of for initial punching which vthe stops at opposite edges of the view being extended variationsin the die chambers of diierent punch` structures may be compensated for. The cards initially perforated in one punch may be again perforated in a different punch, but the holes will be aligned in all of the cards without regard to dilierent punches used for perforation. Further, means are employed for automatically adjusting the cards when the punch mechanism is Vset for verication punching.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the die portion of a. card punch with which is associated card positioning means disposed at four sides of the die;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of that part of the punch mechanism 'illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the mounting of card end engaging fingers;

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 looking at the right side of the latter;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1 showing the die chamber and card positioning devices, to include card feed mechanism not otherwise illustrated;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing the rear card stop and its relation to the die holder;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective showing one end of the punch and illustrating the mounting of the card positioning means thereon;

Fig. 8 is a partial section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 showing the front stop adjustment for verification, the stop being closed; and

Fig. 9 is a side view of a feed roller lift means.'

The general structure of the punch mechanism is shown and described in Patent No. 2,124,178 and other patents referred to therein. The mechanism herein shown and described brings out the novel features of the invention, and the general relation thereof to the mechanism at present incorporated in the Powers gang punch employed in perforating tabulator cards of the type used in Towers card controlled business machines. Only a suflicient part of the punch mechanism is shown to illustrate the operation of the present invention. If desired, the invention may be applied to any other machine where positioning of a card is a factor in its use as a Fig. 3 of Patent 2,124,178. In Fig. 5 of this application only the general parts are illustrated that are deemed essential to an understanding of the present invention. 'I'he punch mechanism includes a base I in which a die holder II is vertically reciprocated by a die operating lever I2, which in turn is rocked by a die cam I3 xed to a clutch driven main punch shaft I4. Operation of main punch shaft I4 causes picker cam I5 to reciprocate picker I6 through a picker arm I1 to feed the bottom card from a supply magazine I8 to the feed rolls I9. 'Ihe latter are driven through a suitable gear train from the shaft I4 which corresponds to shaft I5 of Patent 992,246, Fig. 5 thereof showing the use of a gear train for driving feed rolls, eject rolls, and intermediate skid rolls in synchronism. The feed rolls I9 pass the card into the die or card chamber 20 where it is punched when a control trip is operated following set-up" of the data to be punched in the card, in the manner set forth in Patent 2,124,178. This set-up is accomplished by the selective latching down of set bars which prevent upward movement of punches 2| (Fig. 3) the unlatched punches being lifted 'by the card in the die chamber as the die rises. After the card is punched it is passed from the die chamber through suitable discharge rolls to a hopper 'by the intermediate or die rolls 22 when the latter are engaged by the upper pressure rollers 23, as will be hereinafter explained."

The end of the die operating lever I2 engages a cross bar 25 on the die holder, the [bar having secured thereto spaced stop arms 26 extending rearwardly for pin and horizontal slot engagement as at 21 with side flanges 28 of rear card stops 29. The latter are disposed in suitably spaced notches along the back edge of the die holder II, and present card abutting faces 30 which may be extended above the flanges 28, but are later placed slightly below the level of the die chamber to permit punched cards to be ejected when the die is in a low position (Fig. 6). The cross bar 25 is rocked by a cam lever 3I under influence of a stop cam 32 secured on shaft I4. The cams I3 and 32 coordinate the vertical reciprocating movements of the die holder and the rear card stops 29. In accordance with the invention, the latter are mounted for horizontal movement during vertical reciprocating motion and to this end are joined, in the side anges 28 thereof, by pin and vertical slot connections 33 with the forward ends of upper and lower stop control arms 34 and 35; respectively, connected by links 36.

As the die holder II rises, the rear stops 29, in addition to the vertical movement imparted thereto by arms 26, are moved forwardly by arms 34 and 35 through the medium of a structure including shaft brackets 31 xed to base I0 adjacent the endsv of the die mechanism. Each bracket (Fig. 4) has an upper and a lower bore 39 and 40, respectively, in which are journaled trunnions 4I into which the ends of upper and lower shafts 42 andY 43, respectively, are fixed in eccentric relation to the aXes of said trunnions. Each eccentric shaft in a major portion of its length extends through, and provides a mounting for, upper and lower rotatable sleeve shafts 44 and 45, respectively. Each sleeve shaft,

adjacent its ends, has clamped thereto one of the rear stop control arms 34, so that, upon rocking movement of the sleeves 44 and 4 5, the rear stops 29 are moved forwardly and rearwardly in accordance with the vertical movements of the die holder. The upper sleeve shaft 44 has attached near one end thereof a link arm 46 connected to a stop bracket 41 through a yieldable link 48. 'Ihe bracket is mounted on the die holder I I and vertical movement of the latter rocks the upper sleeve, and a like movement is `imparted to the lower sleeve through the link 36 connecting arms 34 and 35 clamped to said sleeve shafts. The yieldable link 48 consists of upper and lower strip pieces 49 joined by pin and slot connection 50 and tensioned in extended position by a spring 5I. As the die holder rises, the stop bracket 41, link 48, and link ann 46, rock the upper sleeve shaft 44 clockwise in Fig. 6, until a stud bearing limit arm 52 engages a stop block 53 formed on the adjacent bracket 31. Continued movement of the die holder is permitted by the relative yield of said link pieces 49. The rocking motion of the sleeve shafts 44 and 45 causes the arms 34 and 35 to move the rear stops 29 forward, so that a card in the die chamber will 'be pushed against front stops to be later referred to.

The die and punch mechanism (Figs. 2 and 3) consists of the die holder I I supporting the die 54 and the upper and lower punch guide plates 55 and 56, respectively. The latter are separated by side spacer bars 51, while the die 54 and lower guide plate 56 are separated by end spacer strips 58 to form [between them the die or card chamber 20. The upper endsv of the base I0 support the punch holder 59 in which are provided end openings 60 through which the card positioning members extend. The punch holder and guide plates 55 and 56 position `the punches 2| which rise with the card occupied die and guide plates unless arrested by the set bars, not shown, to perforate the card. The punches 2| are suspended by their laterally sheared heads 62 in the punch holder 59, in which they are prevented from turning by the cross strips 63 held in place by bracket supported bar means 64.

The invention takes advantage of the movement of the die 54 relatively to the stationary punch holder 59 to position the card in the direction of its length, and to also position a front stop automatically after a card has entered the die chamber. 'I'he mechanism for doing this, being substantially the same at opposite ends of the die, it is believed that a description of one end will suffice. The die 54 and guide plate 56 are provided with an opening 65 (Fig. 3), into which the depending end 66 of a card finger 61 extends to engage the end edge of a card disposed in the die chamber. The card finger 61 (Fig. 7), is hung near its upper end :by ears 68 between tabs 69 of a roller fbracket 10 fixed to the lower punch guide plate 56. The upper strip portion 1| of the finger 61 projects through the opening Gil-in the punch holder 59 and terminates above an adjusting plate 13 in position to hold a roller 14 in rolling contact with the upper surface of said plate. The roller is urged against the plate by a tension spring 15, connecting it to an eye 16 fixed in vertical portion of said plate. The tendency of the spring is to rock the card finger clockwise, as seen at the right end of Fig. 3, b'ut it is prevented from doing so until the 'die holder rises, at which time the spring, in maintaining contact of the roller with the stationary plate 13, causes card engaging movement of the lower end 66 of the finger 61 until the roller 14 engages a limiting stop 11 threaded into a -bracket 18 xed on the plate 13. 'Ihe threaded mounting of the stop 11 and its set screw 6I affords a fine adjustment, so that movement of the roller is closely controlled. This adjustable mounting of both card fingers 61 at opposite ends of the die provides for the quick and accurate positioning of e'ach successive card in the die chamber as the latter rises. The relatively short card engaging end 66 of each finger 61 will act in reverse as the power arm of a lever to raise the roller`14 off the plate 13, so that the cards will not buckle if the lengthwise dimensions thereof vary slightly from the expected standard to which the fingers normally operate in centering the card in the chamber.

The relative movement between the die and punch holder is also employed to automatically disengage the card chamber feed and skid rolls 22, 23, and to lower a front card stop or gauge after a card has entered the card chamber. The inner edge of roller bracket (Fig. 7) at the .front and rear ends thereof, is provided with flanges forming eyes 80 and rests 8|, .to the former of which is pivoted-as at 82, pressure roller arms 83 joined by a tension spring 84 and having lift tabs 85 for engagement with the rests 8|. The pressure rollers 23, carried in the free ends of said roller arms 83, are lifted out of engagement with the lower feed rollers 22 by contact of the rests 8| with the tabs 85 shortly after the die holder begins to rise (Fig. 9), so that a card that has been drawn into the card chamber by the rollers 22, 23 in contact, is freed for positioning action. The outer edge. of roller bracket 10 is flanged as at 86 and has pivoted thereto through a .pin and slot pivot connection 81 a rearwardly extending link 19 and a forwardly extending front stop arm' 88 the turned end 89 of which, cooperating with a like end of the opposite arm, supports the front stop bar 90. The latter has spaced depending front stops 9| (Fig. 2) formed integral therewith, which, in raised position, admit a card to the die chamber, but rock to closed position as the die holder rises. The frontstop arm 88 is provided on its under edge with a lobe 92 and on its upper edge with a vertical extension 93 carrying a roller 94 yieldably urged into contact with the upper surface of the adjusting plate 13 by a spring 9 5. When the die holder is at lowest position the roller 94 bearing on adjusting plate 13 holds the front stops raised or in open position', and the lobe 92 is spaced from the upper surface .of the roller bracket 10. As the die rises, the spring 95 keeps the roller 94 in contact with the plate 13 until vthe lobe- 92 engages the surface of bracket 10. The front stops have thus been closed by the upward movement of the die. The front and rear stops are substantially opposite Yeach other laterally of the die or card chamber, while the end positioning fingers are opposite each other lengthwise of the chamber.

At the beginning of a cycle of operation of the drive shaft |4 a card occupies the card chamber and is abutting the rear card stops, having been fed thereto on the previous cycle and held against the closed rear card stops by the action of the die rolls 22, 23. As the die holder begins to rise under influence of its cam |3, the die rolls separate to leave the card floating in the die or card chamber and simultaneously the front stops 8| close. The yieldable link 48 rocks the sleeve shafts 44', 45 luntil the limit arm 52 strikes the stop block 53 and the rear stops move forward to push the card against the closed front stops and position it widthwise of the die chamber. Simultaneously, the rising movement of the die holder causes the end positioning fingers 61 to move inwardly against the card until arrested by the limiting stops 11 to centrally position the card in the chamber. The card is then held at four sides centrally of thechamber and is punched by continued rise of the die. During descent of the die the rear stops are lowered, the frontstops are raised, and when the die rolls contact, the card is fed out of the vdie chamber thereby. Simultaneously, with `this descent of the die, the link 48 causes rearward movement of the rear stops 29 as they are lowered from card detaining position by the stop arms 26.

When a group of cards has been punched they are often verified by re-punching, the latter being done by punching the cards at a position slightly offset, in a direction longitudinallyof the column, from the original punching location. In order to accomplish this, the present mechanism includes eccentric control bell cranks 96 xed to the upper solid shaft 42 near opposite ends thereof, the right bell crank (Figs. 1, 4, and 8), through a link 91, being joined with an eccentric control arm 98 which is xed to the lower solid shaft 43. Both shafts 42, 43 are rocked by movement of a push rod 99 secured to the upper end ofthe bell crank 96 and slidably supported in suitable brackets for longitudinal adjustment from the front of the machine. When the rod is in the position shown in Fig. 4, regular punching occurs and when the-rod is pushed rearwardly for verify punching, the

upper and lower solid shafts are placed under torsional stress and rock the eccentric trunnions 4| clockwise, and thus move the upper and lower shafts 42, 43 and their sleeve shafts 44 and 45 rearwardly a distance equal to the amount that the Verification punching is to be oiset I from the original punching location to produce perforations elongated in a directionY longitudinally of the column.

In order that the front stops may be moved to compensate for the verify punching, each link 19 has a pin and slot connection |03 with each bell crank 96, the pin of each link being connected by a spring |84 with the rear leg of its associated bell crank. When the latter swings rearwardly to verify position, the spring yields to allow movement of the bell crank independently of link 19 after the front stop arm 88 is pulled to its rearward limit as defined by the pin and slot connection 81. The movement of the push rod, and consequent operation of the eccentric trunnions to retract the rear stop carrying shaft, is also limited by a control plate |00 (Fig. 4) fixed to one of the eccentric .trunnions l4| and arranged to be yieldably held by a spring urged detent ball |0| in the adjacent shaft bracket 31, at the limits of its swinging movement, as defined by its pin and slot connection |82 with said bracket. 1

While I have disclosed the use of a front stop against which the card is pushed by the rear stop, it has been found that under certain conditions the use of the front stop alone will satisfactorily locate the card for original and veri- 'iication punchings, and I do not wish to be limited to the use of both front and rear stops to accomplish card positioning at different locations. While I refer toA front and rear stops, and to end stops, it is to be understood that these terms are employed for convenience of description and they may be used interchangeably depending upon the conditions imposed in different machine structures.

While I have -described what I consider to be a convenient means of carrying out my invention, it is obvious that many changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as stated by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting punch and die members,

the combination with a card chamber in one of said members, of means for feeding a card to and from said chamber including pressure rolls in contact for card feeding operation, means for separating the rolls to free the card during relative movement of said members, and means controlled by saidvmovement for positioning the freed card inthe chamber for perforation.

2. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting punch and die members, the combination with a card chamber in one of said members, of means for feeding cards to and from said chamber including pressure rolls in contact for card feeding action, means for separating the rolls to free the cards during relative movement of said members, and adjustable means controlled by said movement for positioning the freed cards at different locations in the chamber for perforation.

3. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting punch and die members, the combination with a card chamber in one of the members, of means for feeding a card to and from said chamber including pressure rolls in contact for card feeding operation, means for separating the rolls to free the card during relative movement of said members, and card positioning means controlled by said movement for tive movement of said members, means controlled by said movement for positioning the freed card in the chamber for perforation, and adjustable means for limiting the action of said card positioning means.

5. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a card machine having relatively movable coacting parts including a card support, the combination with said support, of side and end card engaging members, and means controlled by the relative movement of said coacting parts for actuating said card engaging members to position a card at a predetermined location on said support.

6. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a card machine having relatively movable coacting parts including a card chamber, the combination with said chamber, of card engaging members, means for moving said members toward and away from each other for centering a card therebetween in the chamber during relative movement of said coacting parts, and means for adjustably limiting the movement of the card engaging members toward each other.

7. In a card perforating machinev having relatively movably coacting punch and die members, the combination with a card chamber in one of the nen'bers, of a rear stop, means for feeding a card against said stop, a front stop, and means operable by the relative movement between said punch and die members for automatically closing the front stop and actuating said rear stop to push a card in the chamber against said closed front stop.

8. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting punch and die members, the combination with a card chamber in one of the members, of means for feeding a card to and from said chamber including pressure rolls in contact for card feeding operation, means for separating the rolls to free the card, a front stop, means for moving the front stop to card abutting position, a rear stop against which the card is fed, means for moving said rear stop to push the card against the front stop, and said roll separating means and said rear and front stop actuating means being operable in coordination by the relative movement between said punch and die members.

9. In a card machine having relatively movable coacting members, the combination with a card chamber in one of the members, of a stop, means for feeding a card against said stop, another stop, means for closing said other stop, means for actuating said first mentioned stop to push a card in the chamber against said other stop, and said closing and actuating means being controlled by the relative movement of said members.

10. In a card machine having relatively movable coacting members,.the combination with a card chamber in one of the members, of means for feeding a card to said chamber including pressure rolls in contact for feeding operation, a first stop against which the card is fed, a second stop, means for separating the rolls to free the card, means for moving said second stop to closed position, means for actuating said first stop to push the freed card against said second stop, and said stop operating means and roll separating means being controlled by the relative movement of said coacting members.

11. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a card machine having relatively movable coacting parts including a card support, the combination with said support, of card positioning members, means controlled by the relative movement of said coacting parts for actuating said card positioning members to place a card at a predetermined location on said support, and means for adjusting said positioning members to place a card at a different location upon operation of said controlled actuating means.

12. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a machine having a card support, the combinawhich a card is fed, a second stop, means for closing said second stop, means for actuating the first stop to locate the card in one position against the second stop, and means for movably adjusting both stops to locate the card in another position against said second stop.

13. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a machine having a card support, the combination with said support of a stop against which a card is fed, means for moving said stop to locate the card in a predetermined position, and means for movably adjusting the stop to locate the card in another position when said stop is shifted by said moving means.

14. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting members including a card chamber, the combination with said chamber, of card engaging ngers mounted on one of said coacting members for swinging movement toward and away from each other for centering a card in the chamber therebetween, means for maintaining an end of each nger in movable contact with the other of said coacting members to swing the fingers during relative movement between said members, and adjustable means for limiting the swinging movement of said fingers.

15. In a card perforating machine having relatively movable coacting members including a card support, the combination with said support, of a stop pivotally mounted on one of said coacting members for vertical movement, an extension on said stop for engagement with the other of said coacting members to move the stop upon relative movement of said members, and means for limiting the movement of the stop in one direction.

16. The combination with a machine employmovable coacting members and a card chamber in one of said members, of a laterally movable shaft, a sleeve shaft on said movable shaft, a card stop associated with said card chamber and carried by said sleeve shaft, means controlled by the movement of one of said members for rocking said sleeve shaft to reciprocate the stop, and means for shifting said movable shaft to vary the limits of reciprocation of said stop.

17. The combination with a machine employing cards in its operation including relatively movable coacting members and a card support on one of the members, of a, first card stop pivotally mounted on one of said coacting members for verticalhmovement, means on said stop engaging the other coacting member for controlling the movement of said stop upon relative movement of said members, a shaft, a second card stop associated with said support and carried by said shaft, and means controlled by the relative movement of said coacting members for rocking said shaft to reciprocate said second card stop to locate a card on the support against said first card stop.

18. The combination with a machine employing cards in its operation including relatively movable coacting members and a card support on one of the members, of a rst card stop pivoted to one of said members for vertical movement, r

means on the stop engaging the other coacting member for controlling the movement of said stop upon relative movement of said members, a laterally movable shaft, a sleeve shaft on said movable shaft, a second card stop associated with said support and carried by said sleeve shaft, means controlled by the relative movement of said coacting members for rocking said sleeve shaft to move said second stop to locate a card on the support in one position against said rst card stop, and means for shifting said movable shaft and said rst stop to locate a card on the support in another position against said rst card stop when the sleeve shaft is rocked.

19. In a card positioning mechanism for use in a card machine havingkrelatively movable coacting parts including a card support, the combination with said support, of card positioning ngers mounted at the opposite ends of said support, means for moving the fingers toward and away from each other for centering a card therebetween during relative movement of said coacting parts, means for adjustably limiting the movement of said card engaging fingers toward each other, a first cardstop pivotally mounted on one of said coacting parts for vertical movement, means on said stop engaging the other coacting part for controlling the movement of said stop upon relative movement of said parts, a shaft, a second card stop associated with the support and carried by said shaft, means controlled by the relative movement of said coacting parts for rocking said shaft to reciprocate the second card stop to locate a card on the support against said rst card stop, and means for shifting said shaft for adjusting the operating positions of said rst and second card stops to locate a card at a different position on said support.

20. In a card machine having relatively movable coacting members including a card chamber in one of said members, the combination with said chamber of means for feeding a card to and from the chamber and means controlled by the relative movement of the members for positioning the card in the chamber.

2l. In a card machine having relatively movable coacting members including a card chamber in one of said members, the combination with said chamber of means for feeding a card to and from the chamber and means controlled by the relative movement of the members for positioning the card in the chamber and controlling the feeding operation of said card feeding means.

JOHN T. FERRY. 

